Transaction terminal with signature capture offset correction

ABSTRACT

A method of processing a transaction comprising the steps of generating a position signal indicative of position of a touching of a touch screen having a transparent reference surface, displaying an image of the touching of the screen responsive to the position signal, and changing the image as a function of the difference between the position signal and a predetermined position value.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent ApplicationNo. 11/344,267 for a Transaction Terminal with Signature Capture OffsetCorrection filed Jan. 31, 2006 (and published Aug. 2, 2007 as U.S.Patent Publication No. 2007/0175987), now U.S. Pat. No. 9,275,388. Eachof the foregoing patent application, patent publication, and patent ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a transaction terminals having touchsensitive screens for signature capture.

BACKGROUND

Transaction terminals are in use today at locations where a person makesa transaction in a retail store, restaurant and the like. Most of theterminals have a card reading capability for acquiring both debit andcredit card data. Typically, the card is drawn through a slot in theterminal and the card related data is applied to a microprocessor whichidentifies the card owner, processes the necessary data to complete thetransaction and generates a sale slip. Sometimes as part of thetransaction, the card user is asked to sign his or her name upon asignature capture pad and the signature is electronically recorded aspart of the transaction. Other times the card user is asked to inputdata through some type of real or virtual keypad.

The capture pad employed in many transaction terminals typicallyincludes a glass substrate that is separated from a deformable polyestercover by relatively small non-conductive spheres. The opposing surfacesof the substrate and the cover sheet are coated with a conductivematerial. The coated surfaces are, in turn, connected to lead lines thatsurround the capture pad. The lead lines are connected to an x-yregister that is arranged to record the signature data and forward thedata to a microprocessor. The customer writes his or her signature onthe pad using a plastic stylus or a similar instrument having a pointwhich is capable of forcing the conductive surface on the cover sheet atthe contact point against the conductive coating upon the substrate thuselectronically recording the signature.

Transaction terminals of the type having a data collection input anddisplay capabilities for attachment to a network are growing inpopularity. Currently available transaction terminals have been observedto exhibit numerous limitations. Efforts regarding such systems have ledto continuing developments to improve their versatility, practicalityand efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network for utilizing a transactionterminal in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a transaction terminal in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram of a touch pad for a transaction terminalin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for operating a transaction terminal in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for operating a transaction terminal in accordancewith the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments of the inventionwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. This invention,however, may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed aslimited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theserepresentative embodiments are described in detail so that thisdisclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey thescope, structure, operation, functionality, and potential ofapplicability of the invention to those skilled in the art. Whereverpossible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or like parts.

A transaction terminal in accordance with the invention may be adaptedfor reading card information for secure receipt of personalidentification (PIN) information, for signature capture, and numerousother functions. Cards which may be processed by a transaction terminalmay be, for example, a credit card, a debit card, customer loyalty card,an electronic benefits card, a company-sponsored benefits card, anidentification card, etc. A detailed description of transactionterminals and their operation is disclosed in commonly owned publishedU.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030132292, which is herebyincorporated herein in it's entirety.

FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which a transaction terminal 20 mayoperate in accordance with the invention. Typically, transactionterminals are disposed in a retail store kiosk, customer service desk orother locations where customers do business. When a customer makes atransaction using a credit card or a debit card, an electronic benefitscard or customer loyalty card, a customer inserts or places a card in ornear a reader to read the card. The customer may be prompted to write asignature on the terminal 20 so that it can capture the signaturedigitally.

Transaction terminal 20 communicates transaction information, such asthe captured signature, to a network. Networks take on a variety offorms including a dial-up or cable modem interfaces, USB interfaces,ethernet interfaces including wireless and non-wireless which enablecommunication with external computer systems or other communicationdevices. For instance, transaction terminals may communicate with onecash register which is one of several cash registers that is incommunication with a server, in an in-store local area network (LAN)which may be in communication with a debit network and credit cardnetwork.

The network can also be considered to include various computer systemsoperated by parties other than a retailer or for example, a network caninclude a distribution network operated by distribution serviceproviders who receive transactional data from a retailer and evaluatethe availability of several debit or credit card networks and route thedata to one selected debit or credit card networks or based on anestablished criteria. Some transactions are processed without beingrouted through distribution networks and others are normally dependenton the selection made by a retailer.

The network may include at least one computer system hub (not shown)which is under the control of a retailer yet located off-site withrespect to the transaction terminal and other in-store devices such ascash registers or other transaction terminals and servers. The hub maybe in communication with, and may be adapted to monitor and controlfinancial data transaction emanating from a plurality of in-storeservers controlled by a retailer that operates several stores at severaldifferent locations. Further, there may be more than a layer of hubs. Aretailer may operate a local hub which receives transactional data fromeach of several in-store servers located at several different storeslocated in a given municipality. Several of these local hubs, in turn,may transmit transactional data to a regional hub. Several regional hubsmay transmit transactional data to a centralized national hub. Severalnational hubs, in theory, can transmit transaction data to a singleworld-wide hub operated by a retailer having retail stores worldwide. Itis seen that hubs and the layering of hubs provide a means for retailersto monitor transactions conducted throughout several retail stores.

Hubs are often owned and operated by a retailer who owns or operates aretail store in which the transaction terminal is located. However, theHub may also be owned by a third party service provider, and the retailstore owner may subscribe to a processing service provided by the thirdparty. Such third-party operated hubs operated in the interest of aretailer shall herein be considered to be operated by a retailer.

The network may be in communication with another computer Network, whichmay be the internet (World Wide Web). Connecting networks facilitatesready access to information from a wide variety of computer databases,which information is pertinent to financial transactions. For example, anetwork can access such information as drivers license identificationinformation, consumer credit rating information, consumer criminalrecord information, sales history information, consumer demographicdata, and other consumer information.

FIG. 2 illustrates a transaction terminal 20 which includes a housinghaving a top, a bottom, a front, and sides. Integrated in the top ofterminal 20 is a touch screen display assembly 30 comprising a displayand a touch screen sensitive overlay disposed over the display. Disposedin the housing may be one or more readers for obtaining information froman information bearing device, such as a card having a magnetic strip,symbol indicia such as a bar code, an RFID instrument, biogenicinformation such as a fingerprint, etc. Another user interface datainput device which may be disposed in terminal 20 is an optical readerunit or imaging assembly, such as a model IT 4000 or IT 4200 opticalreader module with decode output circuit of the type available from HandHeld Products, Inc., as are substantially described in U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 20030029917 entitled “Optical Reader ImagingModule” incorporated herein by reference and U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,725entitled “Optical Reader Comprising Multiple Color Illumination” alsoincorporated herein by reference.

A stylus 40 may be included which is disposed in a specially configuredholder apparatus adapted for attachment either on the housing orelsewhere. Terminal 20 further includes I/O connection ports (not shown)for allowing communication with other computer systems such as cashregisters, or other host computer systems, e.g., server system, or hubcomputer systems as described herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates a touch screen display assembly 30 which may comprisea display 32 in combination with a touch screen 34.

Touch screen or pad 34 is a transparent device for generating a positionsignal indicative of position of a touching of a top reference surfaceof the screen and may be, for example, part no. N010-0518-T401manufactured by Fujitsu, or part no. RTC-A1 from Nissha, or part no.NIS/RC-872 from Nissha. Touch screen 34 may have a protective overlay38. Touch screens typically operate in association with a touch screencontroller 36. Data entry on the screen may be made by a finger, stylus,or other device.

Display 32 is responsive to the position signal from the touch screen 34to provide a visual simulation of the touching of the screen and may be,for example, a 5.7″, ¼ VGA (320 pixels by 240 pixels) resolution coloror monochrome LCD display of the type available from Nan Ya Corporation,and may be driven by an appropriate controller.

Controller 36 controls, amongst other things, the touch pad so that thedisplay changes the visual simulation based on a number of factors,including the difference between a function of the position signal fromthe touch screen and a predetermined position value, as will bedescribed in further detail.

The touch screen in accordance with the present invention is an touchsensitive overlay element capable of providing a signal representativeof the position of a stylus or other device placed in contact therewith.Broadly speaking, during operation of the touch screen, the stylus actsas a probe causing the top and bottom conductive layers of the touchscreen to contact each other at the point of contact. The differingpotentials between sides of the element, in two coordinate directions,are measured, converted into a signal, such as a digital form, and areprocessed through correction algorithms. This enables a trace of themovement of the stylus to be captured and retained.

Positioned beneath the touch screen and having a display visibletherethrough is a display module (such as a LCD module) which is capableof displaying information in response to electrical signals appliedthereto. Electrical signals from the touch screen relating to movementof the stylus on the element can then be applied to the display moduleto provide a representation of hand written information, such as asignature on the display. Thus, since the display module is positionedbeneath the transparent touch screen , the movements of the stylus onthe transparent surface are graphically captured and are immediatelyvisible at the points of contact (or elsewhere if an offset isintroduced) of the stylus with the surface.

Such touch screens sometimes have to go through a calibration cycle tocorrect for the small differences between individual touch screensand/or displays in order to correct for location differences betweenwhere the stylus is contacting the touch screen and where the displaydisplays the visual representation thereof. This difference may bereferred to as offset. Sometimes, though the calibration is notperformed, or is incorrectly done, or is unintentionally set to anincorrect value. Also, the offset may change with time, with the resultbeing that the projected image on the display of the signature does notalign with the location of the stylus or signing tool.

In accordance with the invention, touch screen X, Y position coordinatesare automatically sensed or determined. Such coordinates may indicatewhere a signature starts, when the signature is started where thesignature ends, when the signature ends, local maxima, local minima,etc. These coordinates are stored in memory and then compared with apredetermined or expected position. The predetermined position may bewhere statistically someone is expected to sign their name on thedisplay, such as on a signature line or in a box also created on thedisplay by the controller. If the expected and actual signing locationsare not in agreement, then an offset correction value may be generatedthat would cause the displayed signature to migrate closer to theexpected location. This correction can be made for offsets in both thehorizontal and vertical directions.

Referring to FIG. 2, a customer virtually signs on the touch screen 30on a predetermined virtual designated signature line 21 or in asignature box 22, also referred to as a virtual signature placementelement. Let the vertical coordinate of the line or bottom line of thebox be DSLV and the left and right end points of the line or box beDSLXL and DSLXR respectively. The point at which the person beginswriting is referred to as the signature start point (SSP). The point atwhich the person stops signing is referred to as the signature end point(SEP). These points can be described in X and Y coordinates (XSSP, YSSP,XSEP, YSEP). Each signature has a plurality of maxima peaks (e.g. P1,P3) and minima peaks (e.g. P2, P4) that may be collected in analternating fashion. The maxima peaks may be averaged to provide amaxima average peak (MaxAvgPeak) and a minima average peak (MinAvgPeak).From these, a theoretical vertical signature range VR for a particularsignature may be determined by the following equation.

VR=MaxAvgPeak−MinAvgPeak

The midpoint Vmid of the vertical signature range relative to thedesignated display line or bottom of the signature box may be determinedby the following equation.

Vmid=MinAvgPeak+VR/2−DSLV

Other ways of determining Vmid are also contemplated. For example, iltmay be the average of all vertical measurements reduced by DSLV, or thesum of the maximum peak minus the minimum peak reduced by DSLV. Othersignature location metrics may also be utilized and are contemplated tobe within the scope of the present invention.

A theoretical horizontal signature range HR for a particular name may bedetermined in a similar manner but in the horizontal direction, and maybe based upon the signature horizontal start and end points, XISP andXISE, relative to DSLXL and DSLXR respectively of either the designatedsignature line or the signature box. The midpoint Hmid of the horizontalsigning range may be determined in a manner similar to Vmid. In anotherexemplary embodiment, HR may be the starting horizontal position XISP.

A VmidNominal may be established by determining the average Vmid ofactual signatures of an ensemble of people. This is the verticalpredetermined position value. This determination may be made empiricallyby having a plurality of individuals (for example 200 people) writetheir signature and then perform the appropriate measurements on thosesignatures. VmidNominal would be stored in permanent memory. In asimilar fashion a HmidNominal a horizontal predetermined position valuecan be determined.

A new vertical offset correction value, VOVnew, may then be determinedby the following equation.

VOVnew=VmidNominal−Vmid

The VOVnew or an appropriately scaled function of VOVnew may be added toall new X coordinates provided by the touch screen in order for thedisplay to “move” the location of a viewed or displayed signature closerto the point the stylus is touching the touch screen in a verticaldirection. The same algorithm may be utilized to provide a horizontaloffset correction value HOVnew to move a person's displayed signaturecloser to the point the stylus is touching the touch screen in ahorizontal direction. In either case, the correction value would bestored in memory to be used to correct the offset the next time asignature is captured.

It is to be noted that determination of the VOVnew and HOVnew may bedone iteratively or in increments in order to minimize dramatic changesin the displayed signature's location. In other words, Vmid andtherefore VOVnew might change as more data points are collected as aperson continues to write and so the position displayed may changeincrementally the apparent point the stylus is touching the touchscreen. To this end, the position of the displayed signature may bechanged incrementally with a single VOVnew determination to makemovement of the displayed signature imperceptible to the signatory.Also, in an alternate implementation, the VmidNominal may be adjustedover time as a moving average as the number of exemplary signaturesgrows.

An average VOVnewUpdated may be created to reduce the display correctionfrom being overly effected by a single signature. This averaging mightbe accomplished by calculating an updated average correction VOVnewafter the completion of each signature signing. An example of how thisdetermination of an updated VOVnew is calculated as described by thefollowing equation based upon the previous VOVnew generated after theprevious signature was captured and VOVnew current which is based uponthe current signature.

VOVnewUpdated=(VOVnewPrevious×127+VOVnewCurrent)/128

In this manner, only 1/128 ^(th) of the VOVnew is used to correct thevertical offset as a result of any single signature measurement, therebygenerating a slowly varying correction term that would on averageconverge to a properly corrected system.

Referring to FIG. 4, a flowchart in accordance with the presentinvention begins with a step 310 wherein a signature is started.Vertical signature range VR is determined in a step 312. The verticalmidpoint of signature Vmid is determined in a step 314. VmidNominal istaken from memory (or possibly as calculated over a very large sample ofsignatures as an ongoing activity in an independent background process)in a step 315. The offset or correction value VOVnew is then determinedin a step 316. The displayed signature is offset or moved as a functionof that value in a step 318. A similar flowchart can be created tocorrect for an offset in a horizontal direction.

Alternately VOVnew may also be derived as a function of a comparison ofthe actual ISP (Initial Starting Point) versus a nominal orpredetermined ISP. The nominal ISP may be determined by averaging theISP for a sample of signatures.

Referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart in accordance with another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention begins with a step 410 wherein asignature is started. A signature start might be detected by keepingtrack of when the display is first contacted, or a first contactdetection followed by continued contact for a predetermined amount oftime. The signature initial start point (ISP) coordinates (XISP, YISP)are determined in a step 412. The ISP coordinates are compared with asignature predetermined starting point (PSP) and its coordinates(XPSP,YPSP) in a step 414. These predetermined coordinates values may berepresentative of the average signature starting point coordinates usedby a sample number of persons when starting signatures.

Since an expected predetermined starting location will only be anaverage position, the location of the displayed signature might bechanged only by a fraction of the generated offset values, so that thechange in location of the displayed signature is not overly compensatedor dramatic. To this end, the position of the displayed signature may bechanged incrementally to make movement of the displayed signature appearas imperceptible to the signatory.

In an exemplary embodiment, the predetermined signature starting pointmight also be derived from the average or nominal starting pointcoordinates for each particular customer name, which is known becausethe customer has previously provided it. In this manner, different nameswould have different PSPs, because people start writing their signaturesin different locations on a given line or in a given signature box. Forinstance, a signature beginning with the letter T will most likely starton a different ISP than a signature starting with the letter G. To thisend, the size of an expected virtual signature box or line may bedetermined from the average signing parameters for various names. Thevirtual box would be an area where the signature might be expected tofill. The displayed signature line or displayed signature box might beadjusted accordingly to account for expected signature sizes andlocations.

It is to be noted that the present invention changes the position orlocation of a displayed mark or writing (such as a signature) relativeto a displayed signature line or displayed signature box in order tocause a displayed point to coincide with position of the touching of thetouch pad by the stylus.

It should be understood that the programs, processes, methods andapparatus described herein are not related or limited to any particulartype of computer or network apparatus (hardware or software). Varioustypes of general purpose or specialized computer apparatus may be usedwith or perform operations in accordance with the teachings describedherein. While various elements of the preferred embodiments have beendescribed as being implemented in software, in other embodimentshardware or firmware implementations may alternatively be used, andvice-versa.

It should also be understood that the illustrated embodiments areexemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of thepresent invention. For example, the steps of the flow diagrams may betaken in sequences other than those described, and more, fewer or otherelements may be used in the block diagrams. Also, unless applicants haveexpressly disavowed any subject matter within this application, noparticular embodiment or subject matter is considered to be disavowedherein.

The claims should not be read as limited to the described order orelements unless stated to that effect. In addition, use of the term“means” in any claim is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6,and any claim without the word “means” is not so intended. Therefore,all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the followingclaims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.

1. A terminal, comprising: a touch screen having a transparent surfacefor generating a position signal indicative of a position of a touchingof the screen; a display under the transparent reference surface fordisplaying an image in response to an input signal; and a controllerfor: capturing position signals from the touch screen; generating theinput signal such that the image changes position on the display duringthe capturing of the position signals, wherein the input signal is afunction of the captured position signals and a predetermined positionvalue signal and the predetermined position value signal is indicativeof a predetermined position where a person is expected to sign on thedisplay; and determining an offset correction value to cause a displayedsignature to migrate closer to the predetermined position.
 2. Theterminal of claim 1, wherein the predetermined position value is afunction of a nominal signature characteristic determined from a sampleof signatures.
 3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the predeterminedposition value signal is a function of a position of a designatedsignature placement element.
 4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein thereis an offset between a position signal and a corresponding part of theimage on the display such that the offset correction value is determinedas a function of the predetermined position value adjusted by the maximaaverage peak and minima average peak of the generated position signals.5. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the image changes positioniteratively as a signature is made.
 6. The terminal of claim 1, whereinthe controller generates the input signal such that the image changesposition incrementally.
 7. A method, comprising: determining adifference between a position of a touching of a touch screen and apredetermined position of the touch screen; and displaying, with adisplay, an image representative of the touching at the predeterminedposition by applying the difference to the position of the touching. 8.The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined position is a functionof a nominal signature range midpoint determined from a sample ofsignatures.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined positionis a function of a designated signature line.
 10. The method of claim 7,comprising generating an offset correction value to cause a displayedimage to migrate closer to the predetermined position, wherein theoffset correction value is determined as a function of the predeterminedposition value adjusted by the maxima average peak and minima averagepeak of position signals.
 11. The method of claim 7, comprisingperforming the steps of determining a difference and displayingiteratively as a signature is made.
 12. The method of claim 7,comprising changing the position of the displayed image incrementally.13. The method of claim 7, wherein the touching is performed with astylus.
 14. A device, comprising: a touch screen; and a display; whereinthe device is configured to: determine a difference between a positionof a touching of the touch screen and a predetermined position of thetouch screen; and display, with the display, an image representative ofthe touching at the predetermined position by applying the difference tothe position of the touching.
 15. The device of claim 14, wherein thedevice is configured to generate an offset correction value to cause adisplayed image to migrate closer to the predetermined position.
 16. Thedevice of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to generate anoffset correction value to cause a displayed image to migrate closer tothe predetermined position, wherein the offset correction value isdetermined as a function of the predetermined position value adjusted bythe maxima average peak and minima average peak of positions.
 17. Thedevice of claim 14, wherein the predetermined position is a function ofa designated signature line.
 18. The device of claim 14, wherein thedevice is a point of sale device.
 19. The device of claim 14, whereinthe device is configured to determine the difference and display theimage iteratively.
 20. The device of claim 14, wherein the device isconfigured to determine the difference and display the image such thatthe image changes position incrementally